Key Numbers (H1 2026)
- 183 developments | 64,744 units
- 4,648 transactions | AED 22.21B (USD 6.05B)
- Under-construction share: 82% of volume | 78% of value
- Average achieved price: USD 997/ft² (AED 3,662)
- Branded premium versus non-branded: 56%
- Highest price recorded: USD 4,648/ft² (AED 17,068)
Supply Expanded While Activity Moderated
Dubai added 5,184 branded residence units in six months, taking total inventory from 59,560 units across 175 developments at the end of 2025 to 64,744 units across 183 developments as at 30 June 2026, growth of 8.7%. Since 2020 the number of branded residential developments has more than tripled, rising from 50 to 183. Pro-investor policy, long-term residency programmes, a tax-free environment and sustained international demand have allowed Dubai to scale branded residential supply beyond what established luxury hubs have achieved. The expansion has been accompanied by a structural shift in development models, increasingly towards hotel-managed, service-led luxury living. Transaction activity moved the other way. Volume fell 21% year on year, from 5,908 transactions in H1 2025 to 4,648 in H1 2026, while value fell 47% from USD 11.52B (AED 42.3B) to USD 6.05B (AED 22.21B). The steeper decline in value reflects a change in the composition of activity rather than a withdrawal of demand, with transactions shifting towards smaller units, lower price points and a greater contribution from non-prime inventory. Measured against the preceding six months rather than an exceptionally strong H1 2025, overall activity and average achieved pricing remained broadly unchanged.
Off-Plan Demand Continued to Lead
Under-construction residences accounted for 3,790 transactions, equivalent to 82% of transaction volume and 78% of sales value, or USD 4.73B (AED 17.34B). Ready stock accounted for 858 transactions worth USD 1.32B (AED 4.86B). The segment continued to benefit from new international investors entering Dubai and from construction-period payment plans that allow buyers to distribute capital commitments across several years. Inventory carries the same weighting, with 42,826 units across 115 projects under construction at the end of the period, approximately 66% of total branded inventory, against 21,918 units across 68 completed projects. Pricing between the two segments sits close together, with under-construction stock averaging USD 1,031/ft² (AED 3,785) and ready stock averaging USD 940/ft² (AED 3,453).
The Branded Premium Widened to 56%
Branded residences achieved an average price of USD 997/ft² (AED 3,662) during H1 2026, against USD 641/ft² (AED 2,354) for selected comparable non-branded properties. The resulting 56% differential sits substantially above the prevailing global branded residence range of approximately 30% to 35%. Premium formation varies sharply by district. The highest differentials were recorded in Dubai Internet City at 132%, Jumeirah Beach Residence at 113%, Discovery Gardens at 108% and La Mer at 104%. In established prime locations the pattern reverses, with Palm Jumeirah at 33% and Uptown Dubai at 18%. Read together, the data show branding acting as a price creator in emerging locations and as a price enhancer where prime pricing is already set. A gap of this magnitude should not automatically be read as evidence of market strength. It raises the importance of examining whether individual developments carry sufficient product quality, scarcity, service and operational credibility to sustain their original pricing after completion, once construction-period payment plans end and projects enter the ready and resale markets.
Activity Concentrated Around a Small Number of Projects
The five leading communities accounted for approximately 59% of all branded residence transactions during the period. Ranked by volume:
- Meydan: 1,378 transactions | AED 3.03B
- Downtown Dubai: 405 transactions | AED 3.41B
- Dubai Creek Harbour: 355 transactions | AED 1.04B
- Dubai Maritime City: 306 transactions | AED 860M
- Dubai Hills Estate: 300 transactions | AED 1.02B
Trophy Demand Held at the Top of the Market
Five highlighted transactions closed at AED 200 million or above. The highest was an AED 422 million sale at Aman Residences Dubai, followed by a second Aman residence at AED 356 million, Jumeirah Asora Bay Ocean Mansions at AED 350 million, The Alba Residences at AED 226 million and Bugatti Residences at AED 200 million. These transactions are not representative of the broader market, but they demonstrate continued activity for highly scarce branded property at Dubai’s highest price levels.
Footprint and Price Leadership Sit With Different Brands
Address holds the largest development footprint in Dubai with 15 branded developments, followed by Vida with 10, and Palace, de Grisogono and Dorchester Collection with eight each. Price leadership belongs to a different group. Aman recorded the highest average price per square foot at USD 3,490 (AED 12,818), ahead of Bulgari at USD 2,999 (AED 11,015), Bugatti at USD 2,569 (AED 9,435), Atlantis at USD 2,442 (AED 8,968) and Dorchester Collection at USD 2,006 (AED 7,366). Brand-level pricing reflects H1 2026 transactional activity only and should not be read as the average price of a brand’s entire Dubai portfolio. Dubai’s branded residence market remains one of considerable scale and international relevance. Expanding supply, concentrated activity and a widening pricing gap are, however, raising the threshold for successful development. For buyers, decisions will increasingly require project-level analysis rather than reliance on brand affiliation. For developers and brands, launch pricing will need to be validated by the completed product, the operating model and the depth of resale demand.